


A strange friendship

by areeskimosreal



Category: Peter Kay's Car Share (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-30
Updated: 2018-12-30
Packaged: 2019-09-30 22:02:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17232005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/areeskimosreal/pseuds/areeskimosreal
Summary: Dave shows his softer side driving Kayleigh to an injured John





	A strange friendship

Dave looked at the caller display,” Ian Hardy what does he want? , hope John got there ok”

“ HI Ian what's happening pal ?”

“ Mmm ok , not serious I hope , oh well that's good news. He what ? no bloody way, look pal pull rank or something, try to get him to see sense .Right I'll make sure that she knows ok thanks Ian. Look I'll need to do the investigation anyway so I'll come over, and I'll bring her , right buddy see you soon “

Dave hung up , took a deep breath, and pulled the tannoy mic to him.

“ Kayleigh Kitson to Dave Thomson's office please, that's Kayleigh Kitson to Dave Thomson's office please " 

“ What's effing wrong now?” thought Kayleigh as she discarded her gloves and apron and made her way to the offices.  

“Yes Mr. Thompson, you wanted to see me?”

“ Kayleigh hen, eh long story short John's had a wee bit of an accident at Ian's store he…..”

“ Oh my god is it serious is he bad is he…?.”

“He's ok hen, he's walking and talking, nothing broken just a bit banged up”

Dave had walked over by this time and was standing in front of Kayleigh , he put a hand on her shoulder and held a tissue in the other he could see her getting distraught,

“ He's ok hen , he's ok don't worry, look go get your jacket and bag and well go through and get him , you ok wi that eh ?”

“ Yes Mr….”

“Dave's fine just Dave ok , go get your stuff I'll see you in the car park in 5, I'll just fill Cath in “

Ten minutes later they were heading to Ian's store , Kayleigh sat stone faced staring straight ahead

“I'm sorry Kayleigh “ Dave suddenly said .

Kayleigh took a deep breath and put her hand to her mouth,

“ John ?” is it bad .

“Oh no sorry he's fine I'm sorry for before”

“Before when Mr ……,I mean Dave?”

“Before you and John were official, I'm sorry for trying to keep you apart, I'm sorry for the things I called you, and I'm most sorry for what I thought you were, I know now that you're not like her, not in the least." 

“ Thanks I think, like who though ?” 

“Rachel”

She snapped her head round to stare at Dave that quickly , he wondered how she didn't get whiplash.

“I'm nothing like that dirty slapper, how could you think that,? I've never in my life put it about like that bitch"

“ I know that but I was worried about John, I thought you set your sights on him for your benefit to ease your way in the business, so to speak, but I know now that it's the real deal with you two. Stevie Wonder could see it in you two “

“I love him so much it hurts sometimes, you're married, you must know the feeling”

“ You'd think wouldn't you?”

“Thanks Dave I suppose knowing you don't actually hate me is one good thing to come out of today”

“Despite my gruff exterior “ said Dave “I Dave N-O-B head , dickwad Thomson don't really hate anyone”

He looked at Kayleigh as he delivered that sentence,  she looked at him with a hint of a smile.

“ I'm sorry Dave “

“Been called worse hen, will be in the future too no doubt , comes with the territory,  shake “ he held his hand out towards Kayleigh. She shook it and smiled.

“ I thought you didn't like John “ she said

“ How ? “

“ Because he didn't get promoted before Litchy and Ian despite longer service”

“ They got it because they are harder than John, simple as that ,”

“John can be hard when he needs to be, he's almost flattened Rick and Barry”

“ Christ I know that hen , him and me have been in enough pub and club fights in the past , I'm well aware that he's tough “

“ John? My John fighting in pubs, really ?.

Dave was sure there was a smile on her face . 

“Oh yea when the group of us used to go out years ago , it occasionally ended in fisticuffs, and big John was right in the mix, but that's not the hardness I meant “

“What then ?”

“ He cares too much, he has a soft heart, “

“So you punish him for that , thanks Dave “

“I don't, it's me who puts him up for promotion, it's head office that knock him back, then I put him up again , endless bloody cycle”. 

“ Why do they do it , do you know ?”

“This goes no further ok ?”

“Ok “ she echoes making the zipped lip gesture. 

“He has the lowest UTR in the area” 

“UTR what the frig is that ?”

“ Up The Road, sacking,  staff dismissal, getting your books as they say where I'm from” 

“That's good it sh….” 

“Head office thinks it's because he hasn't got the bottle or the balls to sack people”.

“Maybe no one has deserved it yet “

“Sean Bannon drugs conviction, curfew and tagged ? Your friend Elsie three written finals and then an assault on Janine , ideal candidates I'd have thought”

“You could have sacked them for him”

“ Then I'd have a bigger UTR and John would look worse, it's got to be him” 

“He cares for people, that's all”

“He needs to think of himself and you and any baby Redmond there might be. The staff don't give a shit about any of the managers, present company excepted, he needs to toughen up and get ahead for your future.”

“ Ian seems a nice enough guy , and Lichy well he ….”

“A wee word of warning Kayleigh hen, Litchy is a sex pest, you keep away from him do you hear, gives me the bloody creeps, if he asks you to do anything for him, I don't mean sexual anything at all , you tell him that you only answer to me or John, understand? “

“But John says that he's his friend, surely he wouldn't try it on with me? “ she said shocked.

“I think John is a better friend to him , than he is to John, just keep away please ok.  

“Ok and thanks “ 

Dave starts using the hands-free.

“I'll just phone Ian and see if he got John to change his mind, about A and E.”

“What about A and E ?” 

“John won't go “ 

“ Oh won't he , well we'll just see shall we?”

“Hi Dave “ said Ian

“How's the patient Ian got him to go get checked out yet?” 

“I'm not going “ John's voice could be heard in the background, “A few pain killers I'll be fine” 

“Give John the phone will you Ian, Kayleigh wants a word “ 

Dave and Kayleigh swapped smiles as Dave indicated she continue the call. 

“Hiya Dave what's happening?” said John 

“ I'll tell you what's happening shall I Jonathan Redmond ? “ Said Kayleigh “I'll be there in 10 minutes, and then you and I are heading for the hospital that's what's happening “ 

“Oh hi love “ John said surprised “no need im f….” 

“ Jonathan, did I at any point let you think this was a discussion ?” 

“No”

“That's right it's not , be in the car, ok no effing if or buts , car , hospital home in that order, got it ?” 

“Got it “ 

“ Good now give the phone back to the adult and get in the car “ 

“Ok I'm going “ 

Dave held his hand up for a high 5, Kayleigh responded . 

“Brilliant, absolutely brilliant Kayleigh John so needs you in his life. Charlotte couldn't have handled that like you just did”. 

All of a sudden Dave could feel an icy atmosphere in the car . 

“So you knew Charlotte as well , is there no one she didn't meet?”. 

“ I've known John 22 years of course I've met her , we had dinner often either at mine at John's or in town, you must know the managers socialise?”

“ Yes course I do , it's just that Charlotte seems to get mentioned a lot, she seemed popular” 

“ She was nice enough, finished , cultured, very social , not like you though “ 

“Well that conversation went down hill rapid, thanks Dave “

“If you didn't bloody butt in I'd have finished that bloody sentence, ok, not like you though,” he looked at her daring her to but in again.He continued.

“She wasn't a people person,  if you looked behind the manicure and perfect teeth, there wasn't much empathy, it seemed at times that she only said what she had to when she had to. Sometimes if you asked a question or interrupted her when she was talking about some subject or another, she got lost, it was as if she had memorized her speech and couldn't get into a natural flow, like a robot if you like”

“ Sounds a bit strange “ 

“ I don't think she was really interested in much outside her own sphere of interest to be honest, just went through the motions, being the dutiful partner, pretending to care what his bosses think, giving a good impression, thank Christ she left him that's all I can say “ 

“ Really?”

“She was draining the fun and lust for life out of John , trying to make him conform to her ideas, no middle ground, he changed”

“I had no idea, I thought he was happy until she left,”

“ He probably thinks he was, but those close to him saw it different”

“Close to him?, I've heard some of your arguments, you two don't hold back “ 

“ If we didn't get on I'd have sacked him , or he would have moved, did you think of that?” 

“No not really, but it makes sense” 

“ I like you Kayleigh, never thought I'd say that , you're a nice person, sometimes I could strangle you , occasionally in the past I've wanted to sack you, but since you and John got together, all I'm seeing is good things, you're brighter than you let on, and bloody good at your job, still far too chatty mind , and prone to gossip. But John's my friend and you're good for him so let's try to be friends for him ok ?” 

“ Em ok Dave,I must admit this is a bit strange but ok friends “ she said nodding. 

As they entered the car park, they could see John sitting in the passenger seat of his Red Fiat, Ian was talking through the window to him. 

John watched Dave and Kayleigh get out of Dave's company Q3, Kayleigh went round to the drivers side, Dave stuck out his hand and Kayleigh shook it, then she moved in for a hug. As Ian walked over to Dave , Kayleigh got into the driver's seat of the Fiat. 

John had a cut over his eye a bloody nose and his left arm in a sling. 

“ Oh brave soldier”  Kayleigh said patting his arm,” let's get you checked out eh” 

“What were that about, you and Dave? , all seemed very cosy” 

“Don't get jealous John we're just friends”

“ Huh you and Dave that's a strange friendship” 

“I suppose it is “ she said kissing his cheek.


End file.
